Winds Like Laughter
by Rosabell
Summary: Sequel to Shadows like Ghosts. Chris has changed the future, but some unexpected events had occurred. Meanwhile, truths unfold which not everyone is equipped to deal with, especially Cole and Wyatt.
1. Prologue: Wyatt

Winds like Laughter

Prologue: Wyatt

Eroof the Cupid paced back and forth anxiously.

" He is _so _gonna kill me."

" He's not going to kill anyone."

" Well, _I'm _the exception."

Coop went back to the books, ignoring the pacing cupid next to him.

" Why is it me, hm? Why do _I _have to tell him? It's not like the Elders couldn't just ring him up there. Since when did cupids suddenly become messengers?"

" In my experience, at least, whenever this happens it's because it caught the Elders by surprise and they're trying to cover themselves."

" Covering their rear ends while frying _mine_? Way to go!" Eroof threw his hands up in the air.

" Are you talking about the Elders?" Chris walked in. The boy was dressed in his school robes. He glanced at the cupid, then at his uncle. Wyatt came up behind him, looking baffled.

" By the way, where is Mom? Is Aunt Phoebe here yet?"

" No. Why?" Coop looked over at him.

" Cuz there was this guy up in the attic." Wyatt said. " He shimmered away. Think he's a demon, but he was standing next to the Book of Shadows which wasn't going crazy around him."

" Uh, yeah, about that." Eroof put on a silly grin. " That was, uh, him."

Chris blinked. " That was who?"

" Go tell him." Coop urged, going back to his books.

" That was _him._" Eroof repeated.

Heavy silence.

" Frick!" Chris exclaimed. " That was—why didn't you tell me this earlier?"

" _He's gonna kill me!_" Eroof glanced at Coop, who proceeded to continue pretending to ignore the conversation.

Chris cursed, orbing up to the attic. Wyatt gave Eroof a puzzled look. " What just happened?" Asked the elder Halliwell.

" Haha, um," Eroof chuckled nervously, " That was, uh, something between him and the Elders. Gotta go." He teleported away.

" Did he just run away?" Wyatt asked Coop.

" That he did." Coop replied.

" What the heck?" Wyatt shook his head.

oO

" I'm so gonna _kill _him!" Chris ranted, flipping through the Book of Shadows. " He better stay away! I'll chew his head off!"

" That would be a sight." His older brother folded his arms as he watched. " Though I'd still like to know _why _you feel the need to chew a cupid's head off. Sure, Eroof is pretty in your face about getting a girlfriend, he's annoying as hell, and he's _way _too handsome to be allowed to exist, but that doesn't mean you have to go cannibal."

" Not funny, Wyatt!" Chris snapped. " I friggin' missed him! I missed him! ' Who are you?'! I'm a total dumbass! And he's going to receive the end of it!"

" He's going to receive the end of your dumbass? Chris, I don't think he's gay. He looks gay, he sounds gay, he acts gay sometimes—"

" Shut up Wyatt, this is serious."

" Chris," the Twice-Blessed finally sighed. " I'd take it seriously if you let me in on it. Otherwise I'm going to assume this isn't serious. What's going on?"

" That was Cole."

" That was who?"

" That was Cole. Cole Turner." Chris paused briefly, looking down at the floor as if sensing who was below. " Don't tell anyone. Except Uncle Coop, since he probably knows."

" O…kay. Chris, have you been up to things that I should know about? You're not making any sense."

Chris shut the book in frustration. " It's like this," He began.

oO

The library was crowded with students. It was the beginning of the school year, but many of the students were looking through the shelves, finding materials for their research projects. Chris and Wyatt orbed in.

" Professor Halliwell!" A girl called. Chris wavered, torn between the current wish to ignore her and his obligation to acknowledge her. " Hello Selene." He pasted a smile on his face. " I'm kind of busy right now. Is this quick?"

" I think so. The bookstore didn't have the text, and I came to the library several times in hopes of borrowing it, but I haven't had any luck. Is it okay if I hand in the homework a little later?"

" Yes, put a note on my desk." Chris said. " That way I remember. Do you know if anyone else is having trouble?"

" Several others are."

" Alright." Chris nodded. " I'll keep that in mind."

" Thanks!"

" Okay let's go." Chris walked toward the shelves.

" What are we looking for?" Wyatt still felt blown away by everything Chris had told him. " And don't think you're getting away with this! Eroof getting his head chewed off—once I get over this shock, I _know _I'm chewing _your _head off!"

" Can you keep your voice down?" Chris hissed. " This is the library!" With a sweep of his robes, the young professor disappeared in the shelves.

Behind him, Wyatt mock kicked the air in frustration. It relieved some of his irritation. He then followed his brother.

" What are we looking for, eh? Cole Turner? Belthazor? Half Demon? Source?"

" Either and all."

" Oh that's rich."

" You don't have to help if you don't want to."

Wyatt sighed. " Fine, fine. But mind you, I'm pissed. I can't believe you kept this from me for a year. A whole year!" He began scanning the shelves, running his fingers over the volumes. " Why? Hm? We tell each other everything. I don't understand. What's the big secret? So he's helped you out once upon a time back when I couldn't help you. I ought to go send him a Thank You card or something. And why must we keep this from our parents?"

Chris sighed, suddenly saddened. He stared blankly at the books. Wyatt narrowed his eyes at him.

" Chris," The blonde began warily, " Is there something else you aren't telling me?"

" Nope." Chris shook his head.

Wyatt slammed the shelves, startling Chris. " Damn it Chris, you can't freaking lie for your life. What is it?"

" Nothing!"

Wyatt sighed. " Fine. You know what, screw it. I don't care."

" Wyatt, not everything's about you, okay? Besides, I don't have to tell you every single little detail that happens in my life. Ooh, I lost three hairs. Ooh, I bumped into a wall. Should I tell you every single one of these things?"

" I get it, okay?" The older witchlighter sniffed in exasperation. " Here's a demon book." He handed it over to Chris, who tucked it under his arm.

Silence fell, as the two brothers looked through the shelves. Eventually they had a respectable load, and piled it onto an empty desk.

oO

Wyatt rubbed his eyes. He glanced at his watch. " Chris, we've been here for three hours. I don't get why we can't just yell for this guy."

" Wyatt, I've been yelling his name for a year. It hasn't worked."

" Really? I never heard you yell. Maybe you should yell it while I'm present."

Chris scowled in disgust. " Don't flatter yourself."

" Look, I'm tired. We haven't found any information on the current situation with what's his name."

" It's _Cole! Cole Turner!_"

" Alright, chill! Geez!" Wyatt raised his hands in a placating gesture. " What the heck is with you today?"

The students looked in their direction curiously. The librarian frowned.

" Ugh. I don't know. I'm sorry." Chris rubbed his face. He abruptly orbed. Wyatt stared.

" What the—" He sighed in frustration, and orbed with his brother back to the manor.

" You know," Chris remarked, when Wyatt materialized, " It's possible that today had been the day."

Wyatt was once again floored. " The what?"

" I mean, why else would he be standing here in the attic all of the sudden?" Chris looked at Wyatt.

" You're asking me? He's _your _hero."

" Maybe he never came because he wasn't here."

" Okay?" Wyatt had no clue what Chris was talking about.

" Maybe because he's stuck between worlds, he was in the future—or the present, all this time. So of course he couldn't hear me if I was in the past."

" …Okay?" Wyatt thought he sounded like a parrot now.

" Cole?" Chris called out. " Cole! Come on I know you're out there!" The twenty-year-old actually did a little hop with his feet like a whining child. " Cole Turner! Oh come on!"

Wyatt was about to comment on Chris's immature behavior, when in front of them, a figure shimmered in. Cole Turner, dressed in a casual jacket and pants. He was a little hunched over and his face turned downward as he looked up at Chris with his eyes. The man looked…scared.

Chris's face broke into the biggest grin Wyatt has ever seen. " Oh man!" He was suddenly across the room and enveloped the stranger in a hug. " Man, you have no idea how long I've been looking for you!" Chris laughed.

Cole looked as surprised as Wyatt did. In fact, Cole probably looked more surprised, because at least Wyatt was expecting Chris to be ecstatic. The ex-demon obviously was not. The return hug was hesitant and cautious. Wyatt supposed he ought to be thankful it was even there.

Unfortunately, while this was happening, none of them heard the footsteps on the stairs.

" Wyatt? Chris? Are you two up here?" Piper entered the room and stopped short.

Chris whirled around, his face contorted into an expression of apprehension. Piper did not notice. Her eyes were on Cole, who stared back, looking just as shocked.

" Hehe, hi Mom. Um," Chris stepped towards her, " Uh, I can explain all this. I can totally explain all this…"

Somehow Wyatt doubted this would go over well.


	2. Campfire

Winds like Laughter

Campfire

" Mom, I can explain—"

" What is he doing here?" Piper raised her arms. " I thought we finally got rid of you!"

" Mom! Stop, lower your hands!"

Cole started to turn.

" No!" Chris exclaimed. " Don't go! Mom, let's all calm down and talk…okay?"

" There's nothing to talk about!" Piper hissed, though she did lower her hands. " Do you know who he is?"

" Yes." Chris said evenly. " He's Cole Turner. Belthazor turned human, turned Source, turned…actually I kind of lost track. But I do know he was a bunch of nasty things. Don't blow him up, okay?"

" Mom?" Wyatt's sister, Melinda, poked her head in. " What's going on?"

" Honey, go downstairs for a moment. This is between me and your brothers." Piper was still glaring at Cole.

Melinda blinked. " Who's he?" She asked, stepping in despite her mother's orders. " He's kinda cute. What's your name?"

Chris and Wyatt groaned simultaneously.

" Well gee, thanks for the support." Melinda scowled at her brothers.

Cole smiled and made an ambiguous grunt, as if he did not know whether to laugh or cry. Wyatt went to her side.

" What is he doing here?" Piper glared at Cole. " If you know who he is, why aren't you trying to vanquish him?"

" No! No! No vanquish, no vanquish Mom—see, this is _exactly _why—ugh why are these things so complicated?"

" How did you even know it was me?" Cole asked, looking at Chris curiously.

The boy turned around to look at him.

" Eroof told me."

" Eroof?" Cole managed to chuckle. He looked a little crazed, actually. " He is still around?"

" Unfortunately. Don't go, okay?"

Cole did not answer.

" What's going on?" Piper demanded.

For some reason, Chris did not appear to know how to explain this. He finally blurted out, " He's from my other life, okay?"

_Huh? _Now _that _Wyatt did not expect.

Their mother seemed to understand suddenly, but she still remarked, shakily, " Wh-what do you mean?"

_Yeah, what do you mean, little bro?_ Just when Wyatt thought the day could not get any weirder. Was Chris a secret spy? He was leading a double life? That made no sense! Chris was how old? Twenty! Aren't spies supposed to be at least thirty-something?

But what Chris said did not make sense either.

" The other me!" Chris exploded, then gestured wildly at Wyatt and Melinda, who were both equally confused. " There, I said it. Happy now?"

Piper looked shaken. It was as if Chris had uttered the most horrible words to her. Which was a far cry from what Chris had told _him _earlier. What did Chris mean by "the other me"?

" Wyatt, Melinda," Piper began in a subdued voice, " Can you give us a moment?"

In her state, Wyatt kind of did not want to leave her. Nor did he feel so comfortable now with Chris just inches away from someone his mother had originally wanted to vanquish. Melinda, on the other hand, was beginning to leave, so Wyatt figured that their mother and Chris could handle anything in the attic on their own.

Downstairs, Coop was pacing around.

" I don't hear anything getting destroyed." Said the man. " Did anything get destroyed?"

Wyatt gave him a look.

" Should something get destroyed?" Melinda asked in a tone of voice that mirrored Wyatt's feelings at the moment.

" Well, nothing _should _get destroyed, but I had a feeling something would." Their uncle looked upstairs nervously. " Phoebe is gonna kill me."

" Why is everyone killing each other?" Wyatt demanded.

Coop ignored this. " How did it look up there when you left?"

" It looked like Mom and Chris and some guy were standing around in the attic." Melinda replied dryly.

Coop seemed to listen. " She isn't trying to blow him up?"

" She did." Wyatt narrowed his eyes. " Uncle Coop, what's going on?"

Unfortunately, Uncle Coop was about as forthcoming as Chris was. " Ehhh…I'll let Chris tell you." He walked away.

" What the hell?" Wyatt demanded. " Now Uncle Coop is in on it? What's going on?"

Melinda shrugged. " You got me there." She said.

oO

About an hour later Piper came downstairs looking pale and shaken. Wyatt was very concerned for her, but he was not sure what was wrong. Behind her, Chris followed, with Cole in tow. Cole was asking Chris some odd questions.

" So what's the robe for?"

" Magic school."

" You're a student there?"

Wyatt grunted in amusement and disbelief.

" I'm a professor there." Said Chris. " Started after I graduated."

" Wow." Said Cole, looking impressed. " You went from Resistance Leader to Professor. Not a bad transition."

_Resistance leader?_ Was this guy some sort of Dungeons and Dragons player or something?

" Nope." Chris agreed adamantly. " I don't know about leading resistances but I don't think I want to. It sounded like it wasn't fun."

Cole paused. " It _sounded _like?"

" Yeah. According to Kevin, I was a completely neurotic and paranoid. Grading papers is hard enough. Let alone running a whole…" He suddenly seemed to notice where he was and fell silent.

Cole was still frowning. " According to _Kevin?_"

" Yeah, he's the Elder." Said Chris. Then he seemed to realize what was wrong, for he suddenly trailed off. " I…" He hesitated. " Because…I don't remember, myself. He…told me…"

Silence.

" Oh." Said Cole. For some reason, that one word sounded final. And sad.

" You want some tea?" Piper asked.

" I want some." Coop called out.

" Coop!" Piper suddenly rushed out of the kitchen. " Is Phoebe coming?"

" Hell no." Said Coop. " She…" He trailed off as well. " Oh shoot."

" You _know _about this?" Piper exclaimed. Coop just looked like he got caught red-handed.

Wyatt threw up his hands. " Our family is going nuts." He was done trying to reason things out. " Can someone _please _explain what is going on?"

Strangely enough, this seemed to make Piper decide that ranting at her brother-in-law was not worth it. " Tea it is. Cole?"

" Sure." Cole said distractedly. He was staring at Chris the entire time. " So…you don't remember."

" It sounded like I wouldn't want to, anyhow." Chris laughed nervously. " Um, we're okay, right?"

" …Yeah." Cole did not sound certain, however. The two of them looked uneasily at each other.

Piper stepped out as the water boiled. She cast an unhappy look at Cole. A heavy and awkward silence fell.

" Piper," Coop gestured. Piper shook her head.

" If Aunt Paige comes, she'll flip out." Chris told her. She shook her head again.

" I think now is a very good time for explanations." Melinda sounded as frustrated as Wyatt felt. " I'd like to hear some begin any time now."

Piper and Chris looked at each other. Cole, looking like he was suffering from pain slowly walked over to the couch and sat down without asking. Not that anyone could bring themselves to comment.

" Mom? Chris?" Wyatt urged.

" I think you should start." Piper said to her son.

" No, I think you should." He returned. " I don't actually remember all of this. Kevin told me."

" No you don't understand." Piper glared. " I think you should start by telling us how you even _knew _about this and yet never told us." Her voice was quiet, but angry.

Chris gestured wildly at Cole. Sometimes, despite being a professor (he was still dressed in school robes) Chris really looked like a child. " Hello? Mr. Ex-Demon over there? Aunt Phoebe would have a stroke!"

" Since when did that become an excuse, hm?" Piper snapped. " Since when did ' it was too hard' become a valid excuse for keeping secrets from your family?"

Chris sat down on the coffee table. " It was too hard, alright?" He shot back, surprising both Wyatt and Melinda. Usually it was Melinda who threw the fits at their mother, especially as Melinda was still a teenager. " I didn't say it was a valid excuse. But it's a pretty darn hard one to get over. You guys didn't even want me around! It was _me _against the _demons _while you were all going on with your normal lives—and then on my birthday—what on earth was I supposed to say and how was I supposed to say it, hm?"

Wyatt was completely lost. So was Melinda. The two siblings looked at each other, then at Coop, who just looked sad, and then at Piper, who looked like Chris had struck her in the face. Cole was watching the conversation intensely, looking like there were some things he did not know as well. But he seemed to have a better idea of what Chris was saying than Wyatt did.

" I-you-we didn't know." Piper's voice cracked. It came out weak and pathetic. " You never told us…who you were—"

" Yeah, um, like I said; don't actually remember all of this. But I so much as _mention _2004 and you guys go all crazy." Chris gestured at his heart. " I know what a big sore thumb that topic was. I only have to feel it every time you do."

_Stupid empath._ Wyatt thought. That was _one _burden he would gladly take away from his baby brother. Chris's empathic abilities surpass even his Aunt Phoebe's. It made Chris wise, but it also made Chris unable to truly be happy, surrounded by the sad and lonely as he was—that was why Chris's job was so crucial. He had to be around the young and hopeful.

" I knew that was a bad topic even before Kevin told me."

" Who's Kevin?" Melinda asked.

" Elder. Twelve or thirteen years older than us." Wyatt replied.

" Owes me a ton of favors in this lifetime." Chris added dryly. He turned to their mother. " Anyway, even Mel knows. Don't mention the year 2004. Heck, don't mention 2003 either. Even before Kevin told me—I always thought something was wrong with you guys considering I was _born _in 2004—but I thought that it was because I had some trouble with premature birth and all of that. Never in my wildest dreams." He turned to Cole, who was still staring at the mother and son intently. " Time travel for a _whole year._ That's nuts. That's beyond nuts. That's world-about-to-end-oh-my-god-this-is-our-last-chance-let's-do-something-stupid. Which I guess is what it was."

" You had some bad luck." Said Cole, looking away. " Some very bad luck in the end."

" Yeah, that's what I heard." Said Chris, turning back to his mother. " So yeah, _really _hard. But I didn't know he was going to show up. I thought I could just keep it to myself. But once he did show up I couldn't just abandon him."

" You're not obligated at all." Cole replied, still not looking at Chris. " _You _owe me nothing. I never helped _you._"

Chris sighed. " You know what, I'm tired. Mom, the water's boiling."

Piper jerked into action. She disappeared into the kitchen.

Chris turned to Cole. " Are you alright?"

Cole looked at Chris. " I'm fine." After a moment, he then asked, " Can you tell me…what happened…in the end?"

" He died." Chris replied after a pause.

Cole's expression was unreadable. " Oh." His voice was small, like all his courage had fled him.

" Chris, what's this about time travel?" Melinda demanded.

Chris glanced at Coop. " I don't even know where to start." He said to their uncle.

" The beginning is as good a place as any." Wyatt deadpanned.

" Where is the beginning?" Chris asked Coop, who shrugged.

" Time travel is tricky."

Chris rubbed his face as if he had a headache. Probably from everyone's emotions, as well as the stress of the situation.

Piper came back with tea later.

" We should start with 2004. Or rather, 2003." Coop told Chris.

Chris glanced at Cole, who was still avoiding everyone's gaze. " Alright." The boy sighed. " You'll help me fill in the details? Here goes."

oO

" September, 2003, bunch of idiot demons free the titans and unleash their power over the world. Charmed Ones get caught in the middle when the titans realize they were a major threat. Things blow up in the attic, out of that wall," Chris pointed at the far wall, " Comes a guy named Chris Perry."

Wyatt blinked. Chris's name was Chris Perry Halliwell. _Huh._ Time travel. Maybe Chris Perry was actually Chris.

" He helps them fight off the titans and organize some brilliant master plan to defeat them."

" In the process, accidentally getting rid of your father by promoting him to Elder." Coop inserted.

" Dad was an Elder because of _you?_" Melinda had arrived to the exact same conclusion as Wyatt had about Chris Perry.

Chris looked annoyed. He ignored her remark. " Nothing to be done there, had to go along with the flow. Chris Perry gets assigned to the Charmed Ones as their whitelighter."

" Which was convenient," Coop inserted again, " For his mission here."

" Which was?" Wyatt asked.

" Complicated." Coop actually glared at Chris at that, but the boy went on. Wyatt blinked in surprised as his brother continued. Chris seemed very nervous. " He keeps a tight lip over what happens in the future,"

" Annoying the Charmed Ones, big time—"

" While taking them on random demon hunts in the Underworld, further fueling their suspicions that he was trying to get them killed." Chris stared at his mother. " Despite being a whitelighter."

" By the way," Coop added, as Piper just looked into her teacup, as if she wanted to disappear into it, " At this point the Charmed Ones only know that he's a whitelighter. They don't know that he's a witch."

" Meanwhile, Dad is currently up in Elderland getting chummy with an Elder named Gideon, who was founding the school,"

" The last good thing he did,"

" And plotting to kill Wyatt."

Wyatt blinked at that. He did not expect that from the way the story was going. " Come again?"

Either Chris deliberately ignored this, or he was too rattled to hear him. " Charmed Ones refuse to go with Chris Perry on another trip. They kick him out. He starts hunting demons on his own. Early January, Aunt Phoebe suddenly gets a premonition of him dying. She keeps having these dreams—"

" Nightly," Coop inserted, though it was unnecessary.

" And eventually asks Aunt Paige to find the Elders to ask them what was wrong."

" Kevin tells her that Chris Perry was actually Chris Perry Halliwell, son of Leo Wyatt and Piper Halliwell."

" She and Aunt Phoebe go looking for Chris, who had gotten injured by a demon. Dad healed him, but two of his powers were permanently lost. Combustion and premonition. Turns out, Wyatt's ability to knock powers out isn't the first one to come around."

Wyatt looked at Cole, wondering where the "ex-demon" fit into all of this. So far Chris had not mentioned him yet. Cole was listening to the story intently, his cup of tea forgotten in his hands.

" He was never a very good whitelighter." Said Coop, referring to Chris. " Was still considered a baby whitelighter. Couldn't heal, most importantly. That was why the Charmed Ones couldn't take him seriously."

" But after Aunt Phoebe and Aunt Paige learned that he was…Mom's," Chris glanced at their mom nervously, " They learned that he—I—this is where it gets confusing—"

" You," Coop nodded.

" I," Chris continued, " Was supposed to be conceived. And the premonitions were a warning to the Charmed Ones that if Mom and Dad don't get back together, he was going to fade away and never exist. This couldn't happen, because he didn't fulfill his mission."

" What was his mission?"

" To save Wyatt."

Wyatt blinked. " Oh…" He blinked again. " You mean, I died?"

" Sort of." Chris replied vaguely. He rubbed his eyes anxiously. " Wy, you—in the other timeline, something happened to you."

Wyatt felt his own anxiety spike. " What happened?"

Chris glanced at Piper, who murmured, " You were turned, Honey."

Wyatt knew what she meant, even as he exclaimed, " Into what?" His mind was already whirling before any coherent thought was formed.

Chris leaned back, eyes cast downward. " It wasn't your fault. Turns out Gideon's attempt to kill you ended up doing worse. The ordeal traumatized you and left you vulnerable to corruption. In 2004 of the original timeline, you were turned, shortly before my birthday."

A heavy silence followed. Wyatt felt like this was not real. And in a way, it was not real—he did not feel turned, so the other Chris must have succeeded.

" Aunt Paige and Aunt Phoebe managed to get Mom and Dad together in time, and afterwards several more demons were vanquished and all that. Eventually Mom and Dad found out too, and things became easier for him after that. They vanquished a demon that seemed to have been responsible for turning Wy, and Chris was all ready to go home when he learned of Gideon's plans. He and Gideon fought, but without combustion he wasn't much of a match for an Elder."

Piper choked then, tears spilling out of her eyes.

" Gideon didn't want to kill him." Chris continued. " He was afraid killing Chris would have drastic consequences for the timeline. But he couldn't send Chris back either—he was afraid Chris would just return again. So he kept Chris prisoner and tried to torture him into submission. Day of his birthday came along, Gideon ran out of time. It's always because we run out of time."

" Mm." Coop agreed solemnly.

" Gideon kidnapped Wyatt to kill him so he could send Chris to the future because if Chris were here when I was born, I don't know, the sky would fall, or something. Chris broke out and took the killing blow for Wy." Chris shook his head. " And orbed Wyatt home. Dad found his body later after Wyatt orbed him back to Gideon's to save him, but it was too late."

Wyatt did not remember any of this. He was speechless.

Cole looked shaken as well. His hands trembled as he set the cup down on the coffee table. The man's face was pale. He looked broken.

" Leo eventually killed Gideon." Coop finished.

Silence reigned.

" And then I was born!" Chris pasted a fake-looking grin on his face. " And here I am."


	3. The Old and the New

Winds like Laughter

The Old and the New

Chris and Coop went into even less detail about the circumstances of the other timeline, mostly also because neither of them had any direct memories of it. Wyatt got the gist though.

He was evil. The Charmed Ones were dead, and all Halliwells were dead except Wyatt and Chris.

He bullied Chris out, but Chris managed to remain strong and build a stable Resistance.

Chris got captured by Wyatt's forces.

Billie, who was alive, called upon Cole to save him.

Things happened.

Bad luck at the end meant Chris had to go back in time with minimal information. Cole had helped send him back. Back to 2003, and the story starts there.

From the way the two of them described it, Wyatt was not sure he wanted to know more of the details.

" So how did you know about the circumstances of the other timeline?" Piper asked, glancing between her son and her brother-in-law. " If you don't have any memories?"

Coop glanced at Chris, who seemed to gather himself together to speak.

" When…the other me…died, Mom," He began, " I wasn't born yet. And we shared the same soul, and since the timeline was changing, my soul was to come from his soul. It was several hours before I was born. He had some time to hang around. So he went…Up there."

Wyatt glanced at Cole, who looked lost in his thoughts.

" He made the Elders promise, mostly Kevin," Chris sighed, " That they were going to let _me _know about Cole. And they were to ensure that I find him and I welcome him and that I understand what he did for…him—me—us." He looked up at his mother.

" The thing is Cole wasn't around ever since Chris appeared in 2003." Coop carried on where Chris left off. " He had just vanished."

" So the Elders theorized that perhaps it was because I had time-traveled."

" They decided to let us know when Chris supposedly first met Cole—about a year ago. This would ensure Chris was mentally ready to accept this responsibility, and also give him enough time to search for Cole should he choose to."

" Of course, Cole was impossible to find." Chris looked at Cole. " I had to call him after he appeared in our attic."

" He was there more than once?" Piper asked.

" Yeah. He had been in the attic to send the other Chris off, of course, so he was still in the attic when the two timelines converged." Chris looked at Cole. " So…yeah. I don't actually remember anything. I just know a lot of what's happened because Kevin told me."

Cole was silent.

oO

" So _why _exactly did you decide to keep this from me?" Wyatt demanded as he followed Chris into the room they shared. They both shared an apartment separate from the manor, but they sleep over often enough that Piper kept the room.

" What do you think, genius? It's not every day that you hear you were going to be the Hell-bringer of all time."

" Wait. Does that bother you?" Wyatt blinked. " I mean, that I could have…"

" No, of course not." Chris shook his head. " It wasn't you. Even if I were a moron, I'm an empath. You don't have a shred of evil in you."

Wyatt blinked, still feeling uncertain. " Then why do you think it's such a big deal? It's like hearing about someone who happened to be named Wyatt. I mean, I don't feel obligated to feel guilty for that Wyatt's mistakes."

" And you shouldn't."

" So then why didn't you tell me? I mean, obviously _you _thought I should."

Chris wiped his face. " Since you don't feel it, I don't feel obligated to tell you why you might feel bad."

" Chris!"

" Wyatt!"

Wyatt stepped in Chris's way as Chris tried to leave the room. he was a good couple of inches taller than his brother, and with his bigger bulk, Chris could not hope to brush past him.

" You wouldn't have kept this from me without a reason." Wyatt stated. " In all these years, you've _never _kept something like this from me. Hell, you chewed out my girlfriend that I really really loved! Of course, she was an evil demon trying to tempt me and I was too stupid to realize what was wrong, but the point is, I was stupid. You told me stuff I didn't want to hear."

" Right."

" So what's the difference now?"

" I don't want to talk about this, man." Chris tried to brush past Wyatt again, but Wyatt stood firm.

" Chris, I need to know." Wyatt looked at him intently. " Was there more to it? You know this is gonna hurt me worse than the truth, this wondering."

Chris sighed. " Look, Wy," He rubbed his face again, " I can't deal with both you and Cole, okay? Cole needs me and we have to make sure Aunt Phoebe doesn't see him and he doesn't see Aunt Phoebe. I don't need _you _going angsty on me to."

" _Should _I go angsty on you?"

" Of course not! No one ever _should—"_

" Well then tell me what you're not saying."

" Wy," Chris snapped, " I died for you, okay? And the issue with you is the same as the issue with Cole."

Wyatt did not understand. " What issue with Cole?"

" He's grieving." Said Chris. " And I know why. The other—the other _me_, he suffered a lot. He came so close to securing a hopeful future, at least. It got taken away because of bad luck, because he was young and couldn't possibly have enough experience to not make mistakes—because no one could possibly know everything. I mean, he was up against _you._ You gotta admit, that really sucks."

Wyatt was silent.

" And then he goes and dies, you know. Alone. Saving you. The _you _you. He could have stepped aside and let Gideon kill you. Hell, he could have killed you himself." Chris shook his head. " And this time around it was you. Not the alternate Wyatt Halliwell. Not some guy who happened to share your name. It was you. Do you get it now?"

" …" Wyatt was not sure he did.

Chris sighed, sitting on the bed. " When _I _learned that this other me once traveled to the past, hell, I didn't know whether to feel upset at me, feel mad at you, or feel mad at Mom and Dad. They didn't tell us about any of this, of course, and probably for good reason. But all these years, you were my big brother, and no matter how mad at each other we got, it never _really _occurred to me that if things got really bad, you easily have killed me or worse. And it was scary, knowing that it was not only possible, but it happened once. But what really made me feel awkward was the idea that this Chris Halliwell—who could have been me, who _is _me on all accounts, is a complete stranger to me. And this Dark Lord Wyatt was a complete stranger to me as well. But they shaped so much of our lives, all the same. Like, for that Chris, Dad was apparently a complete dick. He'd fawn over y-_that _Wyatt, spoiled him rotten. So when that Chris came back, he warned Dad and now I have no complaints. And then there was Cole," He shook his head again, sighing. " And now _I'm _supposed to take his place."

_You're not making any sense._ Wyatt wanted to say, but he could feel Chris was struggling to articulate his feelings, and kept silent.

" To be honest, Wy, I had a hard time…figuring out if I'm me, or I'm him, or he's me—we share a soul, we share powers, but our experiences seem so totally different. Over there, everyone looked up to him."

" Everyone here looks up to you too."

" Yeah but he was _amazing._ I mean, he was going up against you and…_all _of Evil. He was the mastermind of Light. He planned, he plotted, he protected and gave orders. He went through torture and hell and was still able to come back and focus on what's important: saving lives. Who am I? I'm little old me. Sure, I'm the youngest professor at magic school, but compared to _that?_ So I figured…if I was having this much trouble figuring out who I am, I didn't want you to feel the burden of possibly being responsible for my death."

Wyatt swallowed. _Now _he got it.

" Not that you were. Ever. You were two years old. And the other Wyatt is not you and you're not him. So at least you don't have the issue of 'who am I?' that I have."

" Yeah."

Silence fell.

" I need to go take care of Cole. Help me out?"

Whether or not the two Chrises were one and the same, Cole had still helped save Wyatt. The twice-blessed nodded.

" Sure."

oO

Piper was not happy about Cole hanging around, even if he saved both her sons on two separate occasions. Cole Turner, for his part, seemed to prefer staying quiet. He did not talk to Piper, and refused to answer Coop's questions. When Chris and Wyatt came downstairs, their mother was in the kitchen, Coop was at the dining room table, while Cole was in the living room, staring into space.

" Cole?" Chris headed to the spirit in concern. He crouched down in front of him. " Do you need anything?"

Cole blinked and smiled a shaky smile at the boy. " No, I'm fine."

" Wyatt and I have an apartment. You can stay with us." Said Chris. " We dodged a bad scene with Mom but I don't think you should be seen before we break this news to them."

Cole nodded, looking faint and weary.

" Hey." Chris smiled nervously. " I'm glad you're here."

_Say ' I'm glad you're here too.' _Wyatt thought. _Chris needs to hear that as much as you do. He's having an identity crisis and you're the reason._

But Cole did not reply. He just looked down. The spirit was too consumed by his own worries to realize the boy also needed consolation.

Looking a bit disappointed, but hiding it well enough that Wyatt had to struggle to see it, Chris rose. " I'll take you to my place."

Cole stood unsteadily, looking dazed. Chris took his arm, and they disappeared in a flurry of orbs.

Their mother walked out of the kitchen.

" Is he going to be okay?" She asked unhappily.

" Who, Chris?" Coop called. " He's never been safer, Piper."

" You still have a lot of explaining to do." Piper snapped at him.

" Mom?" Melinda walked into the room again. She blinked. " Where's Chris and that Cole dude?"

" Apartment." Wyatt replied. " In case Aunt Phoebe comes in and throws a fit. Why would she do that again?"

" They were married once." Coop replied absently. He was still looking at his books.

" Whoa." Wyatt blinked. " Wow. That's weird. Wow, you're taking this pretty well."

Coop winked at him. " I know your Aunt. She's mine. Besides, Cole is a lost soul. He was lucky enough to find your brother. I can't begrudge him that. As long as Phoebe doesn't kill me." His expression sobered. " She is so going to kill me when she finds out."

" You mean 'if'."

" No, I mean _when._ Because it's going to happen. You Halliwells are the most adept at finding out secrets, as if you folks aren't good enough already at everything else."

" Flattery will get you nowhere," Piper walked back into the living room. " When Leo gets home from magic school, you're gonna do a lot of explaining, mister."

" Wait, _Chris _is the one who's supposed to tell you everything."

" _You're _the responsible adult." Piper shot back. " _A-dult._"

" The Elders made me do it?" Coop grinned nervously.

" That excuse only works if it's true." Piper folded her arms. " Chris is my son."

A swirl of orbs came down from the ceiling, materializing into two figures—the whitelighter John and the elf, Sardo. The two looked at Piper, then at Coop, then at Melinda and Wyatt.

" Bad time?" John asked.

" I'll take care of them." Wyatt told his mother.

oO

Chris felt incredibly awkward around Cole, and the man's attitude was not helping. It was hard enough trying to figure out if he was the same person, but obviously, Cole was trying to figure that out too, and strongly doubting it.

He knew why Cole was grieving. The other Chris had made himself Cole's world. He ended Cole's solitude, and gave Cole a family. Most of all, he never stopped believing in Cole, and Cole had never disappointed him. All this, coupled with a story that pretty much ended in tragedy, would do a number on anyone. Cole did not know Chris had died, nor did he know that Chris had died alone, protecting his infant brother. His father had not even arrived in time to say goodbye.

It was all very sad, except for one thing.

Chris Halliwell is alive and well.

Chris Halliwell is right here.

True, he did not have the other Chris's memories, so he could not hope to understand some of the shared experiences the other Chris had with Cole. Perhaps the circumstances did change him—that whole nature versus nurture argument rearing up about how the environment shapes a person. It certainly seemed like the other Chris had almost been larger than life. Fifteen years old, leading a group of thousands of people in a fight against darkness. The suffering the other Chris endured were things this Chris could not imagine, nor did he want to. The Chris Cole knew and loved had died.

Except that Chris was supposed to be _him._

_We are one._ Chris shook his head. _Or we are two. I'm so confused and he's not helping._ And with Cole, in that mopey mood, Chris found it hard to willingly stick by the older man's side. He was not used to such things. He had not comforted thousands of people and looked after them and their best interests. The other Chris has.

_What a joke. As if Wyatt's not enough, not I have to feel inferior to _myself_!_

What should he say to this man? And Cole's refusal to open up was making things even more difficult. It was hard enough to take up the legacy his other self had left behind—that other self that had left for him nothing but some instructions and anecdotes explaining why these instructions exist. There were no guidelines, no advice on how to deal with Cole. _Just welcome him, and love him, for he loved you dearly._

_But Cole didn't love _me_. He loved _his _Chris._

Chris sighed. He almost wished he remembered events from his other life. Almost.

" Some stuff's in the fridge…I don't know if you eat or anything, but we have a lot of apples and bananas, peaches…and on the shelves is some junk food. I don't know." Chris sighed.

" Thanks." Cole replied. He looked genuinely grateful. " You have a nice place."

_Smalltalk! Yay._ " Yeah. Wyatt's the one that found it. I'm the one that decorates. Mostly because I have a lot of friends who know how to decorate…" He squinted at the far wall. _Huh. Don't remember that being there. Must be Tara._ " It's nice because this place is not as much of a hotspot as the manor. All our friends flock over to Mom's and then bug her to contact me." He chuckled. " Only reason we get away with it is because my Mom and Aunts have so many of their own connections popping in and out that our buddies hardly make a difference."

Cole looked at him. " You have a lot of friends?"

" Um, yeah." _Wow. That turned awkward fast._ " Well, I have enough, I guess."

" Eroof?"

" Oh yeah. Eroof." Chris groaned. " He wouldn't stop hooking me and Wyatt up with random girls. This one time he even tried to hook me up with this wood nymph named Tara. She was okay, but I was too busy to go dating."

" Tara." Apparently this reminded Cole of someone. " I see."

Silence fell. _Tick tock. Awkward turtle._

" You are teaching now?"

" Yeah."

" How old are you?"

" …I'm twenty."

" That's pretty young."

Chris shrugged. " I got the job as soon as I graduated."

" The headmaster gave it to you?"

" The—um, committee. Dad is…the headmaster."

" I see." Cole nodded. " He treats you well, your father?"

Chris beamed. " Yeah. He's great."

For some reason, Cole seemed very unhappy, even as he smiled. _Maybe I should remind him that I'm an empath._ Chris thought.

" Well, I have to go up to magic school for a moment. Call if you need me, okay?" Chris urged, and disappeared.

_Wow. This is not gonna be fun._


	4. Cold

Winds like Laughter

Cold

After herding the two out of the living room, Wyatt folded his arms.

" What are you two doing here?"

" Looking for Chris." Eroof replied. " He around?"

" Nope. What do you want with him?"

" He was supposed to go hunting with us." Sardo replied. " Did something happen?"

" Well," Wyatt blinked, " I don't know."

" What do you mean?"

" Well, we had some unexpected things pop up today." Wyatt replied. " I don't know if he'd be able to go hunting." He then turned to Eroof. " Didn't you tell him?"

" I did." Eroof replied in a long suffering tone. " He didn't listen."

" No one listens to you." Said Wyatt with a sigh.

" So Cole Turner is here?" Sardo asked. " How is your family taking it?"

Wyatt blinked. " Why is it that everyone _except _my family seems to be in the know?"

" It's not that everyone's in the know." Said the cupid. " Certain things are kind of hard to miss. And Cole Turner, well everyone knows him. From way back, if you know what I mean. He was around for a while."

" His fate had been a controversial issue." Sardo inserted. " No one is certain what exactly happened to him, but it was said that he went mad."

Wyatt looked behind him. His mother was talking to Coop in a low voice now. He turned back.

" You think my brother's safe with him?"

" Don't know." Eroof replied. " I mean, Coop seemed fine with him."

Wyatt felt uneasy.

" He's alone with him."

" I think you would know if something is amiss." Sardo stated.

Wyatt exhaled. " Yeah." He agreed.

Melinda came downstairs from her room. She glanced at Eroof and Sardo for a moment before making her way to Wyatt.

" Hey Mel." Wyatt folded his arms.

" Hey Wy." She looked at Eroof and Sardo again. " Where's Chris?"

" At the apartment. What's up?"

Mel looked at Sardo. " Nothing." She went into the kitchen.

Wyatt stared after her, running his fingers through his hair. " Great." He remarked sardonically. " Now I have _two _siblings who aren't telling me anything."

Eroof scoffed. " Don't be so melodramatic. Today is just an off day."

Chris's orbs fluttered down and he formed, holding his hands to his temples.

" Ughhhhhhh." He groaned.

oO

Out of the three, Melinda was probably the only one that got the short end of everything. She had little power to speak of—only molecular immobilization as an active power, and no whitelighter powers because her father had become mortal before she had been conceived. She was the youngest, and the only daughter, so she had been slightly more spoiled than either of her brothers and as a result had low ambitions. She was content with what powers she had and was content to go out and find some man to take care of her. Despite Chris's best efforts, she refused to reject her complacency. Melinda was confident that even if her future husband might fail her, her two powerful brothers could take care of anything. She saw no reason to give herself more trouble and stress.

Between Wyatt and Chris, it was hard to say who was superior and how. Wyatt was Twice-Blessed, the Master of Excalibur and the firstborn. Chris, however, was the son of a Charmed One and an Elder. They both had the same powers, though Chris's was much less powerful in general. However, Chris had Elder lightning. When it came to intelligence, Wyatt was no match for Chris. When it came to brute strength, Chris was no match for Wyatt.

Perhaps it was a combination of the fact that Wyatt's existence had been prophesized and the alternate Chris's journey to the past, but Chris grew to be a remarkable figure. Between the two Halliwells, they had the most influence over the entire magical world out of any of its members, holding more sway than even Elders. Wyatt was the new King Arthur, but Chris had his own identity that he managed to shape. In addition to being a professor at magic school, he was also an unofficial representative of common magical creatures to both Wyatt and the Elders. Everyone came to Chris for their needs, so much so that as his responsibilities piled up, the young Chris Halliwell bid farewell to demon-vanquishing and was also relieved of normal whitelighter duties, even when Wyatt was not. He had some social interaction with the non-magical world, but most of his time was spent in the magical realms, and many restrictions on witches, such as the rules against using magic for personal gain, were lifted in exchange for his services as diplomat and teacher. Even Wyatt did not have such privileges.

Such achievements had not been handed to Chris. Wyatt saw what Chris went through in order to obtain all of this. The boy was so giving, kind-hearted and wise, to the point where everyone, even Elders, respected his advice. In a way, it was almost a punishment—everyone began looking for Chris to help solve their problems, and demons began targeting the boy, knowing that to destroy him wold rattle the Good enough that they might falter. A refuge, Up There, was constructed for him, but Chris wanted to be with his family. As long as Wyatt was around, the two of them combined had little trouble eliminating any potential threats. It has been that way ever since Chris graduated from high school and was hired as a professor at magic school.

There were times when Wyatt felt jealous of his brother. He wished often that he had not been the Twice-Blessed. Having all of these powers handed to him made him intimidate more than appeal, and the fact that he was born with gifts meant he rarely had the opportunity to work for them and truly prove himself. He knew without a doubt that everyone respected Chris more. Wyatt was the brawn, the brute-force dude. Chris was the intellectual, the one that is both clever and amiable. Even though Wyatt was by no means a fool, for many it is hard to see past that pure magical might—including himself. He always tried to avoid thinking this way, because Chris's empathic abilities detect Wyatt and Melinda far more easily than anyone else.

It was hard to imagine Chris could possibly feel inadequate when he was already so impressive.

oO

" Yeah hunting's not happening." Chris told Sardo. " You can tell them it's a family emergency. I'll go next season."

" Next season?" Sardo regarded Chris. " Is there a problem?"

" Nope. Just a long-term guest. Probably even permanent guest. I don't know." Chris sighed. " He has issues."

" I would imagine so." Said Sardo. " His entire existence is filled with controversy."

" Oh, I don't mean that. Well I do. I don't know anymore." Chris folded his arms. " I feel torn between feeling incumbent and wondering what the hell he has to do with me. As sorry as I feel for him, I don't know this guy, and he's not letting me know him. I kind of wish I could just give up and say that I tried and move on."

" I don't understand what makes you feel incumbent." Wyatt protested. " In fact, I don't think even _he _thinks you're incumbent. It seems like to _him,_ you really are a different person."

" Yeah, well, at least I want to give him something to be happy about." Chris said. " I just don't know what."

Eroof snorted.

Chris scowled at him. " What? Romance isn't the answer to everything, you know."

" No, no, of course not. I just had a ridiculous idea." Eroof shook his head. " Forget it. Coop would kill me for even thinking of it."

" Uncle Coo—oh. Oh no no no no no. Ha," Chris glared at Eroof, " _Very funny._"

" What?" Wyatt asked.

" Cole was married to Aunt Phoebe once upon a time." Chris reminded him.

" Oh." Wyatt glared. " You are _not _breaking up my aunt and uncle."

" I said it was a ridiculous idea!" Eroof protested.

" We should be going, unless you wish for our help?" Sardo asked. " It seems like this is a family affair."

" It is and it isn't." Chris rubbed the back of his head. " I might want to bring Cole down to Adriel, if that's alright."

" That is acceptable." Said Sardo. He lifted a hand and rested it against Chris's shoulder. " I would be glad to entertain him for you whenever you need it."

" Thanks." Chris rubbed his head again. " I might call you on that."

Sardo stepped back to Eroof, and the two teleported away.

" I gotta head to magic school for a moment." Said Chris. " But I'm gonna get something to drink first."

" You want me to look after him?" Wyatt offered.

" Bring Mel." Said Chris. " She might make him laugh."

Wyatt blinked. " I didn't expect that one."

" She's young, she's like Aunt Phoebe, but looks nothing like her, so with any luck we can distract him out of his funk." Chris walked to the fridge. " And who knows. Maybe he'll like her instead of me and I won't have to put up with his depression."

" You don't have to put up with his depression."

" Yes I do. It seriously makes me sad. Literally."

_Stupid empath abilities._

" Maybe you can make some blocking potion."

" For a guy that doesn't exist?"

" …Come again?"

Chris explained the circumstances.

" Are you sure he's a good guy?" Wyatt asked when he heard everything.

Chris glared. " Am I sure _you're _a good guy?"

_Stupid empathy!_

" Alright, fine. I'll bring Mel." Wyatt went upstairs to find his sister.

oO

It was strange to be back in normal society. Wyatt's rule had been short compared to Cole's memories, but it had been profound. He was not used to hearing the birds sing, hear laughter in the streets, and the overall peacefulness of San Francisco.

It all seemed bittersweet. All this joy and harmony, brought by the death of one person barely more than a child. Cole knew that he was being selfish, but he felt a deep sadness at the loss. The child he knew and loved was gone forever, replaced completely by a stranger who he could not find a connection to, no matter how he tried.

Wyatt materialized in the apartment, along with the young sister who looked a bit more nervous now than she had been when Cole first saw her.

" Hi Mr. Turner." She waved a little timidly.

_Mr. Turner._ Even Wyatt looked a bit surprised by that one.

" Chris is gonna be back soon." Said Wyatt. " He's off to magic school for some professor-ish stuff."

" He practically lives in magic school." Melinda said a little derisively.

" Yeah, well, the school semester's starting." Said Wyatt. " Hey, you want something to eat? It's not really dinnertime yet but I can whip something up."

How odd. Lord of All Evil was offering to cook him dinner. Well, Wyatt Halliwell is no longer Lord of All Evil—or should he say, he never was, in _this _timeline, but still—one of the most powerful magical forces, offering to play chef. Cole absently wondered if Phoebe ever found it strange to be with him.

" Yeah, cooking is more Mel's department. Chris can cook too but he doesn't really like to." Wyatt scowled, " And apparently, I got my chef skills from Aunt Paige. But I can still make some edible stuff, unlike her."

" I can cook." Mel offered. " And I'm hungry. What do you guys have? Instant noodles?"

" Mel, I _do _live with Chris you know." Wyatt protested. " Even if I'm clueless, he still knows what groceries to buy."

_Sibling bickering. Just like their parents._ How happy _his_ Chris would have been, if he had been able to live this life.

The bickering continued, and Cole watched, feeling the loss even more keenly. He looked at Wyatt and kept thinking back to the Dark Lord he could have been—had been—he was not sure anymore. This Wyatt looked…brighter. His hair was shorter and his entire presence crisp and clean. The other Wyatt had kept his hair longer, and gave off an aura of malice and venom. It was not hard to separate the two—they were so different, but it was strange, nonetheless.

He missed Chris.

" Hey." Suddenly, this timeline's Chris was right in front of him. The boy looked tired. He was not as weary as the Chris Cole knew, but he wore the look of one who had a long day and would like to go to bed soon. In his arms, he carried a stack of scrolls. " Sorry, I'm not being a good host, but projects are starting and I have to review proposals. And write my own. Ugh." He grimaced. " Are you alright?"

Cole nodded, blinking rapidly. He felt very strange. There was something distinctly off about this situation, but he could not pinpoint what.

" Chris you're not actually gonna look through that stack of scrolls are you?" Wyatt called out. The older Halliwell looked worried.

" No, I'm just bringing these back so I can bind them." Said Chris. " I hate the start of semesters. They're always so hectic and crazy. I'm gonna forget to do this tomorrow so I'm doing it today."

" Weren't you gonna go out hunting with elves?" Wyatt asked in confusion.

Chris blinked, then scowled angrily at Wyatt. " That wouldn't have interfered with getting the scrolls and binding them. Louse." He dumped the scrolls on the coffee table, still miffed. Cole wondered briefly why the young man was so frustrated. Then the boy sniffed. " Mel? Are you cooking?"

" Yeah?" The young girl responded. Cole heard the sizzle of the frying pan. " What's up?"

Chris suddenly grinned. " You're gonna love this. Mel's like Mom. She's got all of Mom's skills. And enthusiasm."

Happy that they would service their guest appropriately in terms of food, Chris shrugged off his professor robes for the first time that day. He was actually wearing inner robes, which actually made him look a bit like an Elder.

" You look like an Elder." Cole remarked, his voice breaking as if he had been crying, which startled him more than the fact that he accidentally spoke his thoughts out loud.

Chris rolled his eyes. " Yeah, I get that a lot. Dad an Elder, me, half-Elder, dressing inside as if I'm an Elder. It was a running gag with all of my friends that I'm some undercover ninja Elder. You wouldn't believe the kicks Wyatt gets out of that—"

" And still do!" Wyatt interrupted from the bedroom. " A good joke's a good joke."

" They're not good jokes." Chris rolled his eyes again.

Cole watched this exchange feeling a wave of pain. If only _his _Chris had been here, so carefree with his brother, daring to talk back to the Twice-Blessed and able to enjoy his sister's dinner. As the siblings continued to banter, Cole sunk back into his memories, of holding Chris, of merely standing near him, of Chris taking him to the cafeteria so they could talk. The Charmed Ones were all strong women. Chris had been stronger than all of them combined.

oO

Chris emerged in a bedroom.

" Yo, Lance," He hissed. " Wake up!"

" Wha?"

" Oh my god!" A girl suddenly shot up from the bed. " Who are you?!"

_Lance has a girlfriend now? Man, I need to keep up with things!_

" Chris, is that you?" A male figure sat up. " Dude, did you just _orb _in here? Do you have any idea what time it is in DC?"

" Sorry." Chris folded his arms, feeling a bit stupid now.

" You _know _him?" The girl exclaimed.

" Yeah." Said her boyfriend. " Sorry, Daisy. Look, I'll be right back."

It was amazing how all anger went out of his voice. Chris stepped back. " Sorry, I wasn't thinking."

" Ye_heah, _I know." Said Lance. " Come on." He went out into the hallway. Chris followed.

Dr. Lance Sweets turned on the lights. He rubbed his eyes with a yawn. The older youth sat down on the couch, with yet another yawn, while gesturing for Chris to sit.

" Two years of not talking to me, I thought you forgot about me. This isn't really the reunion I imagined." Said the young psychologist.

" I've been busy." Chris sat down with an apologetic shrug. " How's working with the FBI?"

" I work with the Jeffersonian. Science geeks there. You know the drill."

" Yeah." Chris folded his arms. " Guess they're relentlessly tormenting you, huh. But you seem to be doing alright. Got yourself a girl."

" Yeah." Lance smiled. " Daisy Wick. She's special. But enough about me. What made you decide to come here at one in the morning?"

Chris explained Cole.

" Damn." Said his friend. " I thought stories couldn't get any crazier when I learned you were a witch—an angel witch? Or witch angel?"

" Doesn't matter."

" But yeah, alternate histories? Well, guess I should have expected that. Actually, I did. You just woke me at freaking one in the morning so my mind wasn't working clearly."

" Sorry."

" Yeah yeah. Well, it's obvious that this Cole Turner cared a lot about the _other _you…hm, I see what the problem is."

" The thing is, I know what's bothering him. I just don't know what to do about it." Chris folded his arms. " Do you think I should give it up as a lost cause?"

" Depends on what you consider 'giving up'. It's obvious that Cole is mourning the other you, and the knowledge that he died is hurting him a lot. You need to make a choice. You can either try to convince Cole that you are the same as the other you—my _god _you witches have strange situations—or you could help him accept that the other you is dead and take the pains to support Cole the way you would if he were grieving for any other loved one who passed away."

Chris was quiet for a while.

" This is assuming that his mind works the way people's minds work."

" Oh, he's people, alright. He was half human before, and turned human, once…"

Lance shook his head. " Why would you come to _me _for this sort of thing?"

" Because you're the best psychologist I know."

" Chris, _you're _the best psychologist I know. I can only read cues. _You _actually know what people are feeling."

" Doesn't mean I understand it." Chris pointed out. " It sucks because _I _don't know who I am anymore."

" You are you." Said Lance. " It's quite simple, really. There is absolutely no reason for you to compare yourself to anyone else. True, you might feel confused because this other you once traveled back in time, but in reality we all live in a world where every choice we make can potentially change us as a person. It is a series of these changes that shape who we are. The experiences you have has nothing to do with this other Chris. He might have made your life possible, but he is not any sort of icon, or model, for you to carve yourself into. You are not obligated to be this other Chris. I mean geez, what are you, professor now? You're pretty accomplished."

" Says the genius doctor who got his doctorate at 19 or something."

" Twenty-two."

" Whatever."

" My point is, Chris," Lance smothered another yawn. " This is an ungodly hour. No, that's not my point." Chris had to smirk at this. " There are two things bothering this Cole Turner. The first is that he obviously does not care for how much this world has improved compared to the world he came from. He had a family there. In his mind, he had a son, who has died. This grieving process has nothing to do with you. In a sense, he is right. You are not his Chris. You two have different experiences that shaped you into totally different people. He has to mourn. But this has nothing to do with you. If you really want to help him, I suggest you take the latter approach—show him that he has a family here too, and that you are willing to be his friend as well. In time, he'll decide whether or not you are the same as his Chris. But it has to be his decision. Not yours. You can't really force him to believe the two of you are the same person unless he believes it already."

" I wish I was." Said Chris, sighing. " It's all very sad."

" And yet very good. I don't think I would like the way the world would have been, based on your description. Nor do I like the idea of Wyatt being crazy. I happen to like your brother. Even if he's really scary when he's drunk. Now, are we even?"

" Nope." Said Chris. " You got a girlfriend without telling me. So you still owe me one."

Lance folded his arms. " Since when did I have to report my love life to you, Chris Halliwell? Besides, you orbed in on us. Speaking of which, can I tell Daisy that you're a witch?"

" You're the psychologist." Chris smirked. " You think she can handle it?" He orbed away before Lance could reply.

oO

AN: Guest appearance from Dr. Lance Sweets in Bones! I happen to watch that show for Sweets. I think he's more endearing than most of the other characters, especially Bones. She's so elitist sometimes that sometimes I just want to wring her neck.


End file.
